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The UFE Headquarters in Novosibirsk were still in repairs after Count Saazbaum’s landing and the subsequent battle, but it was in better shape than most of the cities post-war, he’d heard.
He received his new rank with little fanfare, on his part. His sister wanted to have a small party with his friends—she was more amenable to his being in the military now in peacetime—but he denied it. It felt unnecessary, after the celebrations they already had following the end of the war. He didn’t fight with the goal of gaining rank, so what was the point of celebrating it?
Within his first week on the base, he had already become familiar with what were the best options at the canteen and what path to his office was the most efficient.
No matter what he did, though, it didn’t manage the headaches or the seizures. He was still figuring that out. The medicines he routinely took assuaged the problem only just.
He was also still trying to figure out his new superior’s character. The man’s name was George Tsuji and his rank was Admiral. He was in charge of the Pacific fleet. He was Australian, but ethnically Japanese. He looked to be in his mid 60’s.
On his first meeting, the admiral was displeased with him, because Inaho’s salute was too slow, he said. He shook his hand and gave a respectful greeting. Inaho could tell the man wasn’t like Cpt. Magbaredge, who treated Inaho’s “quirks” with some lenience. He didn’t know if he liked Admiral Tsuji or not.
The admiral motioned to follow him down a hall surrounded by different large conference rooms. There were gallery lights on the walls, and many pictures of uniformed men, with inscriptions beside their portraits.
“Do you recognize that man?” The admiral pointed to a seemingly random picture.
Inaho could see the portrait. The man had neatly combed black hair and slightly downturned light brown eyes. His mouth was flat, unsmiling. Inaho looked closer and saw the words “General Kaizuka.”
“You better, because that’s your father.”
“I never knew him,” Inaho explained, “My sister didn’t know about our parents’ careers, and they both died shortly after I was born.”
“I worked under him. I knew him quite well.” The admiral looked at him with an unreadable gaze that Inaho didn’t like. He was waiting for a response.
“That’s interesting.”
“A tactical genius, which is where I suppose you get your talents from.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“He was also a selfish fool and mismanaged the battle over the moon so awfully that the incident became what is now known as ‘Heaven’s Fall.’”
“...”
“A word of advice, Lieutenant Kaizuka. Always do what you’re told. Forget your ego. Don’t be a selfish idiot.”
The man turned and walked away, his heels making staccato echoes on the waxed, shiny floor.
After a while, Inaho felt his fists and jaw finally unclench, and the burning sensation in his face subside.
Though working for the UFE continued to be inconvenient, and he did not enjoy his role overseeing Troyard’s prison, he found that the one benefit was that it enabled him to continue seeing Asseylum, a benefit he might not enjoy in any other position.
After she announced her plans to marry Count Klancain, Yuki and his friends had spent an annoying amount of time sharing sympathetic glances and asking him “are you okay?” and expressing anger and disbelief at Asseylum’s decision to “cast Inaho to the side” after everything he’d done for her, and marry some nobody.
They misunderstood Asseylum’s intent, of course. He knew that it was purely political. As flattered as he would’ve been at the idea of Asseylum proposing marriage to him, it wouldn’t have helped her any. To end the war, he knew she needed allies and to solidify the royal family again. It was her duty.
But of course, he also knew her heart would have wished for something different. She was idealistic at heart, forced by her circumstances to be pragmatic. And he was pragmatic: he knew they couldn't maintain what they had during the war.
At first, he only saw her for business matters. The UFE was happy to see that they had someone on their side that had considerable sway over the new Versian monarch, which nearly made up for his earlier disobediences. He was made to sit in at every peace meeting between the UFE higher-ups and Empress Asseylum.
Between those times, she would call for him. She’d, of course, ask how Slaine was doing emotionally, which was a topic ignored in any official correspondence between the UFE and Asseylum, for obvious reasons. And they would talk. Though her concerns about her fiance soured her disposition, he still enjoyed their meetings. He knew she was burdened by her decision to marry, and that ideally, she never would have done it. She never said it, but he was learning to pick up these unspoken behavioral signs that other people often accused him of not recognizing.
He could imagine a future, maintaining this balance. He would remain working with the UFE, which was incentivized to let him continue his contact. She would marry Klancain. They would continue their relationship, however undefined it was. Nobody else would have any need to know.
“Inaho-san, I can’t keep seeing you like this. It’s improper. I have a fiance.”
“Seylum-san, how is a friendly meeting improper, and what does Klancain have to do with this?”
Her tone was deep, and sad. “I know that you love me.”
He couldn’t figure out a response to refute that. Anything he could think of saying was a lie. He wanted to lie, to prevent what he knew she was going to say, but it would be futile.
“Does that matter?”
“Yes, it does, greatly. Because I have a fiance, and together we will be the future of Vers. It would be selfish for me to trade that future for you, no matter my affections.”
Selfish.
Of course, he’d been selfish.
His thoughts began to twist themselves with feelings contradictory to his sense. Of course, he’d been selfish. He knew he was. He hurt his friends, his sister, he disregarded the UFE countless times. He was selfish, because he had to be. What other motivation was there? He had no prior duty to Earth and its people. He fought because he wanted to selfishly protect his own people no matter how much those people wanted him to stay out of it and be safe. He fought because of her.
But she was an Empress, and she was not selfish. He felt a twinging pain in his chest.
“Of course. I understand the necessity. However, is this truly what you want? Are there no alternatives?”
“This is what I want, and I am sure. I’m sorry, Lieutenant Kaizuka.” The Empress Asseylum regarded him with steady, emerald green eyes, her voice as hard as a diamond.
The twinging pain in his chest increased, and he felt an ache in the hollow where his eye was supposed to be. His heart pounded in a frantic rhythm. He was a stranger to this sensation, unfamiliar with it. But perhaps he should’ve been prepared. It was imprudent of him, not to expect this outcome, to calculate for its effect.
“As you wish, Empress.”
He gave a weak salute, turned his heels, and walked out of the door of the small sitting room with the glass floor. He did not feel if her eyes were following him.